Tangerines
by amillionsmiles
Summary: Her first kiss tastes like tangerines. / Chisaki&Tsumugu, one-shot.


Tsumugu leans with one elbow resting on the countertop, peeling his tangerine slowly. To anyone else, he would appear absentminded, but Chisaki detects the slight furrow between his eyebrows, the pointed concentration in his eyes. He's thinking hard about something; she fights the urge to giggle, then gives in and lets a small one escape her, bubbling up into the air.

"What's on your mind?" she prods gently from where she kneels, putting away the jars she used to prepare dinner.

Tsumugu remains silent, fixated on finishing his snack. He chews thoughtfully, throwing the peels in the trash. Realizing she isn't likely to receive an answer soon, Chisaki rises. She gets busy cleaning the pans, the warm water burbling over their metal as she scrubs. Eventually, Tsumugu joins her, elbows bumping hers as he takes the pans to dry them.

"You still haven't said how you feel about me."

"Oh?" Chisaki tries to keep her tone light as she hands him a bowl. They haven't talked about their feelings since right before the Ofunehiki, and Tsumugu left for university a short while later without any words on the topic. _Still, he must know,_ Chisaki thinks. He must be teasing her; she decides to play along. "I thought you already had me figured out."

"I don't want to assume too much," Tsumugu admits, and although this is the same boy who told her _"You're in love with me,"_ so clearly, so straightforwardly, she senses a bit of hesitation.

She touches his hand gently. His eyes flicker up to meet hers.

"Well," she starts, the corners of her mouth lifting, "do you see me cooking for and tidying up after anyone else?"

"Your family…" his voice trails off, riddled with doubt and unasked questions. _Will you always be here? Will I come home one day and find you gone?_

"You're my family, too," she tells him, and hopes he understands. One day, Chisaki will give Tsumugu the word he is looking for, but for now she offers this. She sees his eyes shine with acknowledgement as he nods. Satisfied, Chisaki starts to return her attention to the sink.

"Can I kiss you?"

The water is still running, but the blood rushing in her ears drowns it out.

"Wh-what?" she squeaks.

Tsumugu's eyes are dark and serious. "I won't if you don't want me to," he says. "Just shake your head, or say no."

Her heart pounds. She doesn't want to turn him away, but she doesn't know how to ask for something like this, either, and though she is nineteen years old she feels all the same insecurities as if she were fourteen. She manages—barely—to nod in assent.

Tsumugu reaches out slowly, tucking her hair behind her ear, bringing his hand up to cup her face. Her eyes flicker shut.

Tsumugu doesn't go for her mouth. Instead, he presses his lips to her cheek—light as a butterfly, and Chisaki finds herself disappointed. Without meaning to, she reaches up to keep his hand in place as he starts to draw away.

Tsumugu looks startled. They stare at each other in silence, neither daring to move. Then, ever so slowly, he leans in, and Chisaki raises her chin slightly to meet him, the rushing in her ears growing louder and louder until it becomes a deafening roar.

When they kiss, it tastes like tangerines: sunshine-bright, stars bursting across her eyes. It is tangy and sweet and tender. She is a boat out in the middle of the sea, buoyed by the waves.

Chisaki drifts back to reality slowly, the kitchen gradually refocusing around her as Tsumugu pulls back, moving the hand that was cradling her head down to her waist.

"Hm." He looks thoughtful.

"St-st-stupid," she stammers, turning to rest her cheek against his shoulder in an attempt to disguise her blush. Her face flames red—she thinks she must be burning a hole through his shirt.

Tsumugu's hair tickles as he rests his chin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. Chisaki shifts again, this time burying her face in his chest, inhaling his scent: clean and safe and…_hers._ Her hands clutch the fabric of his sweater tighter.

Tsumugu chuckles.

His arms feel like home.

* * *

**A/N: **Finally get to write a kiss for these two mwahahaha. Can't believe Nagi no Asukara is over! Anyways, in honor of the ending of the show I'm thinking of doing a drabble collection; drop a one-word prompt for me here or over on tumblr (amillion-smiles), any character or pairing! I'll take the first ten. :)


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